Spider articles are categorized by the native distribution of the taxon.
- The largest possible area is used; spiders found widely throughout a continent, for example, are categorized by that continent, not by each of the countries in which they are native.
- Species are always categorized by native distribution; genera and families should only be so categorized if restricted in distribution, e.g. only found in New Zealand.
The highest category of the following is used:
- Category:Cosmopolitan spiders – spiders native worldwide
- Category:Holarctic spiders – spiders native to the Holarctic; includes northern North America and the Palearctic
- Category:Palearctic spiders – spiders native to the Palearctic, a subregion of the Holarctic; includes Europe, northern Asia and northern Africa
- Category:Pantropical spiders – spiders native throughout the tropics
- Spiders found widely throughout a continent are placed in:
- Category:Spiders of Africa
- Category:Spiders of Asia
- Category:Spiders of Europe
- Category:Spiders of North America
- Category:Spiders of South America
- Category:Spiders of Oceania
- Category:Spiders of REGION, Category: Spiders of COUNTRY – spiders found only in a region of a continent, or in one country (rarely appropriate)